Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez practices during the team morning skate before a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 20, 2020, in Las Vegas.
Thursday, June 11, 2020 | 8:50 a.m.
Training camps for 24 NHL teams competing in the postseason will open July 10, pending approval of safety guidelines and an overall format for returning to action, the league and players’ union announced today.
The camps are part of Phase 3 of hockey’s return-to-play plan. The league is now in Phase 2, which allows small-group workouts at team facilities. Phase 1 was the self-quarantine of players, and Phase 4 will be the resumption of games.
The length of Phase 3 and the beginning of Phase 4 will be determined at a future date, the NHL and union said.
The Vegas Golden Knights were one of the teams that immediately took advantage of the Phase 2 opening, which began Monday.
Up to six players at a time are permitted to be on the ice. On Wednesday, players who participated were Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny, Deryk Engelland, Nick Holden and Marc-Andre Fleury.
The small-group workouts are voluntary, and teams cannot force players to attend. Training camps at team facilities will be mandatory.
Once games begin, teams will be assigned to one of two hub cities, one for each conference.
The league has narrowed down the hubs to 10 possibilities, and Las Vegas is considered a front runner. However, it is unknown if the Golden Knights would be assigned to Las Vegas or the other conference hub to avoid the perception of home-ice advantage.
It’s possible games could begin as soon as late July, though August appears more likely.
Workouts are closed to the public, and when games resume, they will be played without fans.
